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Oh Wonder are a truly wondrous pair

When London-born duo Oh Wonder performed live under the beautifully appropriate sky-ceiling of the Forum – with a little help from their friends in Tora – they managed to marry relaxation and bubbly, vibing energy in a way that not many of their peers could hope to try and do.

When Tora took the stage, theirs was a unique case as far as supporting acts go. Crippled by a busted MacBook and deprived of their backing tracks (which is a pretty big deal for an ambient band), the Aussie quartet soldiered on through a handful of songs, making for a regrettably short set.

But what makes it interesting about it was that it was a unique listening experience, in the sense that you never really hear a band like them without the backing sounds and tech. Even without it, Tora sounded amazing, with a chilled, lounge-like vibe washing over the assembled crowd and unique vocals to reinforce this. Coupled with a genuine humility, the balls to even play five awesome, lovely-sounding songs in that state, and the ability to make light of a bad situation, Tora saved what could’ve easily been a disaster, and endeared themselves to everyone in the process.

Oh Wonder opened their show with electrifying hit ‘Limewire’ and a few scattered dance moves rippled throughout a relaxed, yet buzzing mosh.

The show from there only got better, with dancer favourites ‘Body Gold’ and ‘Landslide’ getting everyone moving. Personal favourites ‘Lose It’ and ‘All We Do’, and juggernaut hits ‘Technicolor Beat’ and ‘Ultralife’ slotted near the end to make sure everyone saw the charismatic duo off with a bang.

Using a blend/slew of physical instruments and a variety of backing and ambient tracks to support them, Oh Wonder flexed their alt-pop talent with finesse rather than sheer power, flowing through tunes and notes.

One of the great things about their entire performance was that during the break between songs, the crowd got to see a glimpse of their personalities, shared through small anecdotes and warm back-and-forths. The pair put on a truly wondrous performance that’ll be remembered for a long time to come.

Highlight: The friendly banter between the duo was also incredibly endearing.

Lowlight: Seeing Oh Wonder at Grill’d before the show and only recognizing that fact an hour later.